The Civic Alliance – Latvia and the European Movement – Latvia invite CSOs, companies, institutions and individuals to support the Ukrainian people, Ukraine’s reconstruction and its integration into the European Union by taking part in the campaign “Sunflowers for a United Europe Together with Ukraine“.
Sunflower fields are one of the symbols of Ukraine, so over the past month, sunflowers have become one of Ukraine’s symbols of support for freedom and solidarity for people around the world. At the same time, gardening is known to soothe the mind and heart – garden therapy is used in many parts of the world to help people overcome psychological distress and trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
At a time when we welcome people from Ukraine into our homes, schools and workplaces, and on daily basis receive news of crimes beyond comprehension committed by the Russian army, nature therapy can help us too. Caring for the seedlings and watching the sunflower sprout can give comfort and faith that the flowers will bloom in a world where the war is over, and we are part of the reconstruction of Ukraine.
How to get involved:
- Sow sunflowers in boxes/pots on the windowsill or in the greenhouse by the end of the second week of April, tending and nurturing the seedlings until early May when the ground has warmed up and the sunflowers can be displayed in the garden, in a flower bed or on the balcony,
- Option two: wait until May and sow sunflower seeds directly in the soil.
- Take part in a sunflower planting or sowing campaign on Europe Day, May 9, or any other day in May.
- Share your sunflower sowing and growing experiences and photos of your sunflower gardens on social media using the hashtags #SunflowersForUkraine, #UkraineInEurope and #UnitedInEurope.
Information with instructions on how to grow sunflowers, as well as visual materials to use in your communications and to distribute so that sunflowers bloom in all parts of Europe, can be found here: https://bit.ly/38hwzpV
In addition, if we will receive translated content of visual materials (posters, animation etc) in any language, we can adapt all materials in all languages that are needed.